Memories of Youth
by atricesparrow
Summary: [COMPLETED] While Scar is king, he remembers things from his past. Why did things become the way they did? Once he fell in love, but it didn't seem like things would ever go his way. Takes place both during his reign, and in his past...
1. Scar, the King

**Disclaimer:**I don't own any of the original Lion King characters... this is simply a story I wrote, because I felt like it, nothing more :)

Just so this story won't confuse readers; some chapters takes place in the time, when Scar was the king. We begin at the beginning, from the day he became the king. Then there's some chapters taking place in the past, when Scar was what we'd call a teenager. A young lion... this is the story about Scar, his reign and why things became like they became. I've seen so many fanfics about Taka/Scar the cub, but very few about his life as a young lion. So here you go - please do read and review! Atrice

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**Memories of Youth**

**Part 1 – Scar, the King**

Scar stood in front of the lionesses… he had just told them all what happened, and prepared to go on with his speech. One that would amaze them and most probably frighten them too. He saw the bird Zazu stand next to the queen Sarabi, both with a sad look on their faces. Little Nala nestled by her mother's paws, sad to have lost her friend. But they would all see, that it happened for something good. He hoped, that they would understand.

"Mufasa's death was a terrible tragedy; but to lose Simba, who had barely begun to live…" he continued, with the most genuine tone. "…for me, it is a deep personal loss. So it is with a heavy heart I now assume the throne. Yet, in the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise to greet the dawning of a new era – in which lion and hyena come together in a great and glorious future!" he kept an eye on the surprised looks on the lionesse's faces, while the hyenas emerged from everywhere, now they heard their signal to appear. Scar left the lionesses alone to think about it, to swallow this new way of life, and climbed the Pride Rock to take a look at his new empire. He felt the wind in his mane, as he stood up there. The weather was grey and dark, but he didn't mind. It was his, everything was his, _even_ the place in shadows far away. Scar felt like the king he had become, and it was a wonderful feeling right now. It had been all worth it.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

After telling the pride about Mufasas and Simbas death, and climbing Pride Rock for the first time as the king – after all this, Scar went into the cave to rest. It had been a long and hard day – making the plan work and all that. Finally he was alone, and on the throne, with a pride of lionesses to rule. He looked up, when the first of them entered, the widow after the now dead king.

"Sarabi… I am really sorry about what happened." He said and sounded genuinely sad about it.

"I doubt that… you hated Mufasa, you always did. You must be satisfied." Sarabi said coldly.

"What? It is _truly_ with a heavy heart I take my new title." He said in a miserable tone, and wandered a bit about in the cave. Then he looked back at her. "I was actually thinking… your mate is dead, you'll need a new." He said.

"You're sad, and yet you already speak of mating – in a time of sorrow!" she spoke louder, still holding her head high. Her royality hadn't gone, even though her king mate was dead.

"You don't understand… you never did, Sarabi. But now you are alone… you have only me to turn to." Scar tried.

"I would rather die!" Sarabi answered with a low growl.

"Be careful of what you wish, dear Sarabi… you should be more friendly towards me." He wasn't pleased with the way the conversation went.

"Should I? I don't trust you… I do not belong to you." She said with a firm voice.

"Oh, but that is exactly what you do – you belong to me, for I am king!" he moved closer to her.

"I shall never belong to you… you've changed, since I came here; but only to the worse." Sarabi began to leave, feeling it was a mistake coming here. She turned her back to Scar, who with a growl now jumped at her, and held her down below his own body. He spoke close to her ear, in a low and cruel voice, but also somewhat sensual. She hadn't been this close to him in years…

"Beware, Sarabi.. if you turn your back on me for good, you won't survive for long – or maybe you will, but someone else won't…" he moved away from her slowly, but still keeping a paw on her back, to keep her near. "Now leave!" he growled and let go of her. She left the cave quickly without another word. Scar would get her – he just had to work on it. He would get them all… he went back to the place he wanted to rest, and laid down, thinking about everything. Why had things gone the way they did? Why did Sarabi never turn to him – she chose Mufasa, his ever so perfect brother, he thought. He remembered it all, as if it were just yesterday, how they all met...


	2. How they all met

**Part 2 – How they all met**

So many years ago, and yet so little had changed since. It was – like very often before and after– a day with warm sunshine on the savannah. Such a day, where nobody feels like doing anything. Below a tree near the Pride Rock, from where the lions ruled, lay two young male lions. Their manes had not finished growing, making them look somewhat untidy. One looked strong – his beginning mane was a light brown-reddish tone, and his soft pelt was golden. The calm eyes were brown. The other was very different; he was thinner, although not starving. His mane was almost black, and his pelt was more brown than golden. His eyes were green, and across the left eye, he had a scar. Nobody would guess these were brothers. The golden one looked up, when he saw a grown female come towards them.

"Mufasa… and Scar… your father wishes to speak with you. It sounded important." The lioness said to the boys.

"Do we have to, Teki? Can't you just tell him, that you couldn't find us." Mufasa, the bright colored of them, asked. He felt it was too warm today to move.

"It won't do, he can see you here. Coming?" Teki began to leave, and soon the lions followed her.

"Why do I have to come? He usually never asks for us both…" Scar, the darker brother, asked with a somewhat annoyed tone.

"I really have no idea – it must be really serious." Mufasa replied, while they climbed the rocks. Up here, king Ahadi and his queen Uru waited for them. Several other lionesses from the pride were also present. A cheetah stood near Ahadi too, he was the kings messenger.

"Good you came… Coopah here tells me, that we'll have guests soon. It appears, that my brother, Aloku, is on his way here; with his mates and cubs. So I want you to stay close." The king explained to his sons.

"Why are they coming here? Do we have enough food for two prides?" Scar asked.

"He's my brother! We'll manage. I haven't heard from him since he left – and now he's got his own, roaming, pride." Ahadi said with a deep voice, letting Scar know not to ask more questions.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

After the short briefing, Scar left the others to find a place to be alone. He was a bit annoyed with the guests – wasn't he enough disliked already, without reason? Did he need more family to ignore him? The only one to speak nicely to him, was his brother, the future king… something Scar would never be. Mufasa was so good and kind, and it had annoyed Scar since they were cubs. He laid down with a bump in the shadow, on the backside of Pride Rock. This was his place. But he didn't have much time alone.

"Scar! They're coming!" Mufasa came running to tell him, and slowly Scar stood up again. With Mufasa going first, they went to the front again. A pride of lions came walking towards the place. One large lion, who for sure was related to Ahadi, and several lionesses. Three seemed to be adults, and there were two younger females too. Then there were a number of cubs. All from Ahadis pride had come to greet the other pride. When it closed in on Pride Rock, the king decided to go down and speak with them. He gave a nod to his queen and sons to follow.

"Aloku… welcome back." Ahadi said to his brother – who seemed strong, but still not as great as Ahadi. Aloku had a brighter mane than his brother, probably from spending more time in the sun. His pelt was a light brown though, and Scar noticed something special. Green eyes… like himself.

"Thanks… I see things are going well – except for two firstborn males." Aloku looked at the two younger brothers, who appeared to be somewhat the same age.

"Mufasa will be the king…" Ahadi waved his head to the son that looked most like him. "What of your pride?" he then asked.

"Only young sons – these two are my eldest daughters. Sarabi and Sarafina. Who is your other son?" Aloku sent a strange smile to Scar, who was a bit interested about this roaming lion.

"His name is Scar… he's not really anything." The king said, and Scar looked down. Why had he even bothered to show up, only to be humiliated by his own father? Mufasa ripped him out of the thoughts, poked him in the side.

"See the girls… they're very pretty." He whispered to his brother.

"They're alright…" Scar sent a hidden glance to the girls, and thought he agreed with Mufasa. They were really pretty, both Sarabi and Sarafina. Sarabi seemed to be the oldest, and the one that looked at them. She caught his eyes, and Scar was curious. She actually looked really fine.


	3. In the moonlight

Thanks for the reviews so far, I'm glad that you like the story. It took a little longer with this chapter, since I've been sick. We're still in "the past" -hope you like it, please do review. Atrice

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**Part 3 – In the moonlight**

Still thinking back, the king remembered how the day ended. The day he met the two new lionesses. Scar lay in his usual corner in the cave, when it was time to sleep – a distant corner, where others wouldn't bother him. He was used to be alone. He had almost fallen asleep, when he heard someone giggle somewhere, and looked up. The entrance to the cave was light; the moon was shining outside. In the entrance stood two lionesses, silhuettes in the moonlight. Carefully, without a sound, Scar got up and made his way towards the opening. The lionesses walked away from the cave, and he followed. It had to be the two young ones from Aloku's pride. Scar stalked the girls, who sat down on the other side of a large rock, so they wouldn't be heard from the cave.

"So… what do you think of this place?" one of them said. Her voice was sweet and she spoke in a glad tone. She was clearly a lioness who liked to have fun.

"I don't know… it's very pretty. I would like to live here." The other one answered; much more calm and noble than the other one.

"Me too. If we want to live here, we'll have to mate with the future king, I think." The first one said with a grin in her voice. Scar sighed, on the other side of the rock.

"That would be an idea. He looks a lot like king Ahadi, and our father too. Isn't it a bit boring? I mean, difference is not that bad." The calm one spoke.

"You mean you want the other one… what was his name? Scar… strange name." the other said.

"There must be some deeper meaning in it, Sarafina… one does not just get such a name. He looked like a loner to me, and king Ahadi didn't seem to care much about him either. I feel sorry for Scar." The lion they spoke about now listened more closely.

"Then you take him… Mufasa is mine then." The one called Sarafina said with a grin, like certain things about mating was on her mind.

"Alright… well, I want to take a walk, get more fresh air." He heard the lionesses stand up.

"I'll go back and sleep… see you tomorrow then?" Sarafina said, and Scar pressed against the shadow in the rock so she wouldn't notice him when she walked by. Luckily his colors was dark, so he easily blended in.

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Scar looked around the rock, to see if it was clear. The lioness walked on Pride Rock, she was on the way to the peak. Scar stood still in the moonlight, watching her. So she wanted him… if the other one had been Sarafina, this would be Sarabi, the one he had liked earlier the same day. Scar smiled to himself, this pleased him.

"Hey… what are you doing here?" she had suddenly turned around, looked at him from out there. He still stood closer to the high rock.

"I am taking a walk… couldn't sleep. What is your excuse?" he asked, and she began to walk back towards him.

"The same. How long have you been out here?" Sarabi asked.

"I only just arrived, why?" Scar asked as if he was all innocent, and she nodded without answering him right away. She took a closer look at him, he was aware of that.

"You want to take a walk together then?" she then said with a smile, and Scar took the few remaining steps between them.

"Of course I would… let me escort you down to the savannah." He said with a very noble voice, making her laugh.

"Why thank you, kind sir." She smiled, and together they walked down on the grass. Here they walked around in silence for awhile. "Scar… may I ask you a personal question?" Sarabi then asked. Scar wondered what it could be, and was curious.

"You may do that." He answered.

"Why did your father say today… that you were nothing?" she said with a kind voice. Like she actually cared.

"Because that is what I am to him… nothing. Mufasa is the future king, and the one that matters. I'll never be more than a prince, unless something happens to my brother." Scar explained to her. She stopped and looked him into the eyes.

"Do you want something to happen to him?" Sarabi wondered.

"Not really… not right now at least. What is so special about being king anyway?" Scar walked away, he didn't want her to look at him like that.

"I have no idea… my father was the prince too, like you. I don't think he would ever hurt Ahadi, just because of that." She said.

"I am not my father, and I am not your father… I am Scar, who is nothing!" he left her alone on the savannah, to find his own safe spot behind Pride Rock. Why did she ask such questions, making him say things to make her care less? Scar sighed and looked to the sky. He saw the stars – Mufasa once told him, that Ahadi told Mufasa, that those were the great kings of the past. If only one could be a star, Scar thought; then it would all be over. But would he ever be a star, if he wasn't a king? Did common lions become stars too?


	4. The King’s first task

I am glad you're all liking it, so here's the next chapter. Back in the "present" again... please do read and review - Atrice.

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**Part 4 – The King's first task**

The king had fallen asleep while thinking about his past - it became morning, and he still lay asleep in the cave. He was alone in here, nobody wanted to join him. Not Sarabi, not Sarafina, not anyone.

"Boss!" a high voice called, and Scar opened his eyes with a huge yawn. He saw the 3 hyenas enter the cave, one of them carrying something in the mouth.

"What is that?" he said, a bit disgusted that they carried things like that. Banzai let go of the thing, and Scar now saw it was the hornbill Zazu.

"We caught him… tried to escape, the coward! We thought it would be best, to bring him to you!" Shenzi told the king.

"A very good thought… welcome to my chamber, Zazu." Scar said, pleased that the bird had not managed to escape the place. He shouldn't tell anyone what really happened.

"Your chamber, ha! It already contains a horrid smell!" Zazu said with a very sour voice.

"Then it must just be a place for you! Come here, Zazu… things are not that bad." Scar said with a glad voice, putting a paw behind the bird pushing it deeper into the cave. "Here… this is your place." He said with a grin, and clapped a spine with ribs down over the bird. A cage…

"You cannot do this!" Zazu complained.

"I can't? But you seem to forget one very important thing, bird… I'm king Scar!" Scar said with a laugh, and the hyenas laughed with him. He went back to the small platform where he had slept, but the hyenas stayed too. "What do you want now?" he asked, a bit annoyed.

"Food! You promised us we would never be hungry again… and well, I'm hungry!" Banzai said, and Scar sighed.

"Tell the lionesses to go hunt then…" Scar laid down.

"We tried, they won't listen to us! You must speak to them…" the male hyena continued, and with another annoyed sigh, Scar stood up again and left the cave. This would be his first thing to do, as a king. The first time he'd show them that he was the one who ruled.

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On some rocks on a lower level of Pride Rock, he found the females. They were just lying there, doing nothing at all. They didn't even care to look up, when Scar arrived.

"Ladies… if you wouldn't mind, I think it's time you go hunting." He said, doing his best to sound friendly while standing among them, and now they listened.

"We don't feel like hunting today… it's too warm, Scar." The lioness Sarafina said.

"I don't care… I am hungry, you are hungry – and so are the hyenas!" Scar spoke louder, very annoyed that they didn't do what he told them to do. They should obey their king, that was what he was taught once!

"The hyenas can hunt for themselves!" another lioness said.

"Listen… I am now the king, and I order you to go and hunt! Or else… or else this pretty young lady won't live much longer!" Scar pointed at a young lioness who lay near him, and she looked up a bit scared. He would kill her?

"Let's just go hunt then… I don't feel like dying today!" she stood up, and Scar smiled. Finally it seemed to be going the right way.

"But Zira… it's not our job, to hunt for the hyenas." Sarabi said from her rock.

"It is now, it seems… unless you want me to die!" the lioness said. Sarafina jumped down next to her, and nodded.

"We do it only for you then… you owe us something." Sarafina said, and Zira nodded.

"Of course… we'll speak further on the way out." Zira began to go down towards the savannah, and the rest of the lionesses followed her. Scar nodded, he was content now. It worked, threatening them a bit. And Zira had given in to his demands. She could be useful, he thought. When they were all gone, he turned around to go back to his cave.

"Scar… nobody is left to look after me." A little voice then said behind him. Scar turned around to see the cub Nala sitting alone where he stood before. She could be useful too, he thought. If he began working on her now, she could be on his side.

"Then come with me, dearest Nala…" he said and she went to his side. Together they walked towards the cave, and he looked down at her. "You miss Simba, don't you? Best friends and all?" Scar asked, and she looked down.

"I miss him so much! How do we know he's really dead?" she asked.

"He hasn't come back yet, right? I am pretty sure he won't…" he stopped when he saw Nala begin to cry, and sat down to appear more present to her. "There there, don't cry… everything will be fine again, I promise you that."

"Are you sure? My mother says you…" she stopped, knowing that she was about to tell a secret.

"What does your mother say about me?" Scar asked, now very curious.

"Oh nothing… you know, I think I'll just wait for them by our rocks." Nala left him and went towards the rocks from where they came. Scar didn't follow her to ask more questions. So they were talking about him, telling Nala things she wasn't allowed to tell him. He would never understand lionesses, they always said one thing and meant another! He went back to his cave, once again wondering what he was doing here. Nobody cared for him anymore. But this time he couldn't leave, he didn't have a reason. His reason to stay was obvious – he was the king. But right now, he felt very unwanted. He was sure that the lionesses weren't talking about him with love. He only wished that he knew, what Sarafina told Nala about himself. Sarafina… he felt sorry for her sometimes. She was somewhat in the same position as him, and she had always been like that – seductive and secretive at the same time.


	5. Reason to stay

Finally! I am so sorry for the delay, but things have been really busy the last week. It's hard becoming a year older ;) anyway, here it is, hope you like it. We're back in the past again. Please do review if you feel like it. Atrice

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**Part 5 – A reason to stay**

A week had gone by, and it was evening; everyone had a good deal of meat for dinner. Scar lay on top of Pride Rock, from where he could see the entire kingdom. That would maybe once be his? At least in his dreams...

"Scar… once again on your own?" Scar heard his uncle's voice say behind him. Aloku came to him and laid down too, next to the young lion.

"That's what is best now… being alone." Scar explained to his uncle.

"But I thought you made friends with Sarabi?" Aloku asked curiously.

"I did… she's a fine lioness. What any lion should dream of mating with – but she doesn't understand me. Nobody does." The young lion said with a sigh.

"I am sure someone does. I had the same part in the family, like you now. And although they seem to be best friends, Sarabi and Sarafina both know one thing. That Sarabi is the oldest, and Sarafina will always be second best. Don't get me wrong, son, I love them both. But you also have to accept the realities like they are." Aloku stood up again and stared across the savannah. The sun disappeared behind the place in shadow, far away…

"You suggest I should do more about Sarafina? But I don't know her yet…" Scar also got on his paws, now seeing, that he was almost as tall as his uncle.

"Get to know her… I am sure she won't mind." He left the platform, leaving Scar alone once again, to think about things. He decided that Aloku was right, although Sarafina had told her sister, that she preferred the future king, not Scar.

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"Hey, Sarafina…" Scar caught her sniffing around the leftovers from the meal yesterday. A lot of bones and chunks of meat lay here and there.

"Oh… Scar, right? Are you already hungry again too, like me?" she asked with her soft voice, and the male moved closer.

"No, not really… how can you be hungry, after all that meat?" Scar said with a grin, but she didn't answer him right away. "So… how do you like Pride Rock?" he then asked.

"I like it a lot… must be nice, to have a real home like this. I can't believe father chose to leave." Sarafina said.

"Maybe he thought it wasn't that fun to be around, when his brother got all the females, and he got none? It's hard to be the second one…" Scar licked a bone and felt the taste of blood on his tongue. Enough to make him remember, how full he became the night before.

"I guess that is so… how about you, you're the second too?" Sarafina said and took a taste of the same bone too. She seemed more free-spirited than her sister, he thought.

"So are you, Sarafina… I don't know about me, I don't feel like staying, or leaving for that matter." He said and looked out across the lands. So huge, and yet sometimes like a prison to him. Sarafina came to stand by his side. She suddenly felt that she knew what Sarabi meant, when she said she felt sorry for Scar. He remembered the conversation between the sisters too; how Sarafina said she wanted Mufasa. What washe doing here anyway, when she didn't really want him?

"You know what, we should stick together… we're in the same situation. Except for the fact, that I can become something and…" Sarafina stopped herself, realizing that she wasn't being very nice to him right now. She saw how he looked down into the ground now, clearly hurt by her words. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that… not that way, anyway. Scar, if I ask you to stay, will you?" he looked up at her, surprised by her sudden proposal.

"I… I guess I will… but why? You can have my brother, and forget all about me." Scar asked, yet he wanted her to tell him, that she wanted him. He could pretend, that she was Sarabi, the one he liked even more…

"Because I think you need a friend… so, will you stay?" Sarafina said, her eyes looking so serious.

"Yes, if that is what you really want, I will stay." He felt a little stinch when he said it, since he right away thought about Sarabi. She would definetly stay too, if he stayed. Two sisters, and two brothers. Right now he felt they both wanted him, but thought it wasn't so bad after all. He could use more than one lioness if he wanted to start a pride of his own.


	6. Dawn like dusk

I am sorry for the delay, but things are becoming rather hectic around here. Thanks for the reviews so far, here is the next chapter finally. Please do read and review :) Atrice

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**Part 6 – A dawn like dusk**

Scar woke up to a very dark chamber. A very lonely and dark chamber. He could hear someone breathe, and looked in the direction where Zazu sat in his cage – probably still sleeping. Why was it so dark today? The king went outside, and was met by a sky with clouds so dark, that it felt like dusk and not dawn. He had been king for quite awhile now, and things just grew worse and worse.

"There he is…" he heard someone say, and watched as three hyenas came towards him in the diffuse light of this day.

"Scar… we have a feeling that…" the hyena Banzai began.

"Schh, Banzai! I'm better at this… Scar, the lionesses claim that it's getting harder to find any game. We don't believe it, but they still refuse us… you must do something." Shenzi said and looked at Ed, who nodded happily.

"And what could I do about that?" Scar asked, as if he could care less.

"Talk to them! You're the only one they'll listen to!" Banzai continued, and Scar felt they had this conversation before. The lionesses wouldn't go hunt, the hyenas came and complained about it to him, he went and talked to the lionesses – who finally went out to hunt, but came home without anything. He rolled his eyes.

"If you say so… I'll do my best." Scar said with a sigh and left the hyenas alone. Today the lionesses had placed themselves down on the grass, near the rock. It was becoming windy too.

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"See, Scar is coming!" he heard the voice of Nala, still not filled with hatred towards him. Most of the other lionesses only spoke to him in cold voices. He had the pleasure to speak to the young lioness Nala several times, when he sent the rest to hunt. She was growing, but wasn't an adult yet. Scar smiled to the young one, and looked at the others.

"I hear that you still won't hunt…" he said to them.

"There aren't much left to hunt… we must let the beasts be a bit, so they can reproduce. Or else there'll soon be no food at all." Sarabi explained, but didn't stand up as she spoke.

"So you just feel that we should all starve, and die ourselves to let them live?" Scar said, annoyed. He hated their excuses for not going to hunt.

"It's the circle of life – and we can't hunt in this weather anyway." Another one said. He had to give her right though, and walked closer to see them all better.

"True… well, the next time there's a sunny day, you'll hunt. That's an order, to all of you!" the king said in a demanding voice.

"Or what, you'll kill one of us? You threaten to do so, but you never do anything about…" one began, but Sarabi interrupted her.

"Zira! Don't…" the former queen tried and looked Scar straight in the eyes.

"But it's the truth…" Zira stood up and walked to the king. "You say a lot of things, yet you never prove to us that you're right." She didn't look at him with pure hatred, it was more like she was daring him. Wanted him to prove he was fit for the job.

"You _want_ to die?" Scar asked her with a more profound voice, curious. Zira stepped back, suddenly not looking so certain after all.

"I didn't say that… I just… Scar, I'm sorry…" she said with a very low voice, making him smirk. She was sorry – for real? He didn't believe it. Scar never believed Zira was sorry, especially since it wasn't the first time he heard her speak those words.

"So you don't believe in my worth as king? Dear Zira, you will…" he turned around and left them with those words. Zira – always the younger one, who wanted more, but didn't dare to get it all. She had always been like that. Zira, the little sister to Sarabi and Sarafina, but so very different from them both.


	7. Claws

There you go, chapter 7 for the readers. Thanks for the last reviews, they're nice to read. I'm glad you all like the story still. Here be the next chapter -I know it's very long, butplease R&R as always. Atrice

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**Part 7 – Claws**

Scar of course remembered Zira when she was young. The annoying little sister to the two lionesses he had around him already. He could never really figure her out. He knew she looked up to him, but still he didn't trust her. Scar remembered how Zira helped destroy a lot of things for him, and somehow he knew why; she wanted to get closer to the throne herself.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

He had been resting on the shadow side of Pride Rock, with the pretty lioness Sarabi by his side. She lay with her head on his stomach, and they had been talking about how it was to live here.

"Sarafina tells me you're staying here. That you won't leave, like Aloku did." She said and he nodded.

"How could I leave you?" he said with a smile, letting a paw glide down her back. If Sarabi could have blushed, she would have done so. But she looked up again.

"You must promise me one thing though… you know you won't be king, as long as your father and brother are alive. If you hurt any of them…" she said and sat up. Scar sighed.

"Why must you always begin that subject?" he jumped up and paced back and forward, the relaxed part of the day seemed to be over.

"Because I want to be sure… Scar, I like to be with you – but I could never forgive a lion, who didn't care for his pride and family." She tried to explain. He stopped and looked at her, with those deep green eyes, one covered by a scar.

"Well, I like to be with you too… so you know the answer." He said without promising anything, and she nodded with a smile – wanting him to speak the truth, although she knew he had a darker side of the soul too. A darker side she did not like at all, which lay behind the scar. The lion sat down next to Sarabi again, and she nested her head against his untidy black mane. But Scar looked up again, he heard something. Someone came their way.

"Sarabiiii!" a voice called, the voice of a cub. Soon a little lion appeared around the corner, her pelt a bit darker than Sarabis and much more messy. She stopped when she saw them sitting close.

"Zira! What are you doing here?" Sarabi moved away from her lover. Zira stood still, put one paw in front of the rest to look more noble.

"Well, the king wants to see you both. And I knew I would find Scar, if I found you… have you been doing strange things?" Zira said with a grin.

"We have been talking, like lions do. Scar, are you coming?" Sarabi asked, and he followed them away from his preferred shadowy place.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

King Ahadi stood in his chamber, waiting for the two young lions. Scar had trouble keeping his pride here, since Ahadi never made him feel good. But he didn't want to loose Sarabis faith in him. The king did not greet them, no, he simply began to speak.

"I hear you two have become good friends?" Ahadi asked them.

"We have… is something wrong with that?" Sarabi was the first of them to speak.

"Actually, there is… Sarabi, why are you seeing Scar? What about Mufasa?" the king said and Scar looked at the lioness, whose eyes suddenly looked down.

"What… about Mufasa?" Sarabi quietly asked.

"Mufasa wants you to be his queen – didn't he tell you?" king Ahadi said, almost ignoring his other son, whose heart just broke.

"He suggested it… but he never said…" she began.

"Well, that's how it is. So Scar, if you will please keep away from your brothers mate… everyone will be fine." Ahadi said with a smile, thinking what he did was good. Scar only nodded, as a lump in his throat grew.

"I'll stay away from her – for good!" he ran out of the cave, down on the savannah, away from Pride Rock. But he stopped before long, looking back at it. Was it true, what he just heard? That Sarabi had also been seeing Mufasa… Scar growled, anger filling his insides.

"Hey Scar… what's wrong?" a familiar voice then said, and Zira appeared from the high grasses that surrounded him.

"Sarabi is going to marry Mufasa! Not me… how did he find out? Nobody but you… you! Zira, you told him, you told the king we were together!" Scar ran after Zira who sprinted back towards the huge rock, followed by a now very mad lion. He finally had the cub up against the rock where she couldn't escape, ready to finish her off.

"Please… I didn't think it would be bad… I'm sorry…" she whispered, scared and seemed about to cry. That part, Scar couldn't take, and he moved away from the little lioness, who quickly moved too, so she could get away.

"You have no idea, what you've started!" Scar said and tried to hit her with his claws, but Zira ran when she saw what he tried. From that day, Scar didn't hide his claws.


	8. Respect

There, next chapter up. Thanks for all the reviews for the last one... and I'm sorry, that I don't get around to reply to all the reviews, but things are busy around here. Anyway, here it is, enjoy. And please do review - Atrice.

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**Part 8 – Respect**

It was another early morning, when the king named Scar woke up to strange and high voices and sounds outside his cave.

"Sire… it sounds like a…" Zazu began in his cage, and the king finished the sentence.

"…fight. Indeed it does, I wonder what it is now?" Scar stood up and looked at the bird. Sometimes they got along just fine.

"Hunger?" the bird suggested, and Scar nodded – that was the usual excuse for fighting these days. He went outside, to a rare sunny day, and just as he thought, he found hyenas and lionesses down in front of Pride Rock. A few lionesses were fighting some hyenas, with a lot of other hyenas standing around them, cheering for their race of course. Scar sighed and walked down to them. "Stop it!" he called. They all stopped and looked up. "What is this? We need to stick together, all of us!"

"But we're…" a hyena began.

"Hungry, and so what? We don't need fights, not now!" Scar said and was a bit amazed by his own words. But it was true, for now he didn't like a fight. "Who started?" he asked as the lionesses also straightened up and looked at him.

"He did… we only came walking." One of them said, he remembered her as Keira. He turned to look at the hyenas, did they have anything to say? They did…

"They didn't! They provoked us!" the hyena from before said.

"I doubt that… but please, try to get along. What say you?" Scar asked them all, and the hyenas sent mad glances at the lionesses who looked coldly back at them.

"I won't, unless he apologize!" another lioness said, and Scar smiled when he saw it was Zira. The lioness had gotten several bites on her body, and seemed like the one who'd been fighting most.

"Apologize to you? You must be mad… Scar, we've done nothing…" the hyena complained, and the king moved closer.

"It sure didn't look like that… do you apologize?" he asked and sent a hidden glimpse towards Zira. If this was what she wanted… the hyena took a few steps back.

"I'd rather die, than apologize to a lioness! They've never done anything for us!" the hyena shouted and jumped further back as Scar moved in on him, a gloomy look in his eyes – for a moment they seemed a darker green than usual. The other hyenas backed away.

"If that is how you feel… goodbye." Without another warning, Scar leapt onto the hyena, nailing it to the ground while he let his teeth rip the hyena neck apart. A strange sound of bones and flesh splitting, then silence as the king moved away from the victim. He looked down at the hyena and spat a bit of its own blood out on the dead carcass. "This is the reality you face, if I find anyone fighting again!" Scar left the scene, with both hyenas and lionesses stunned after what they'd just seen the king do. So he meant what he said. None of those present would ever go against him, they knew that much. To prove it right, Zira excused herself and went towards his cave.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

Scar had only just returned to his cave, when he heard someone behind him, and jumped around. Forgetting all about the bird in the cage.

"Zira… what do you want now?" the king said, a bit annoyed with her. Couldn't she just leave him alone, at least sometimes?

"Well, you sure earned my respect today, Scar! I believe in you, your worth as king!" she said with a smirk, and walked closer to him.

"Thanks for letting me know, but I don't care… I am king, if you believe in me or not." Scar explained and sat down on his small pedestal.

"I know, I'm…" she began, and almost with a laugh, he interrupted her.

"Sorry? You always are, dear… until today, right? Don't be sorry, all is good." He went down from his pedestal again, deciding to give her whatever she wanted. But before he made a move on it, he remembered Zazu, watching it all. "Come with me… please?" he said, as gentle as he hadn't spoken in years. And Zira followed him.


	9. Tainted

There... took me a few days, couldn't upload documents for some strange reason. Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter, I hope you'll like this one too. It's a bit "dark" chapter, therefore the title too... please do review, if you like it :) Atrice

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**Part 9 – Tainted**

The future king, named Mufasa, did his best to find his twin brother. Where could he be? He had heard there had been another argument between Ahadi and Scar, and didn't like it at all. They almost never saw the darker of the brothers anymore, and they hadn't spoken for weeks.

"He's where he usually is…" Mufasa heard someone say, as he sat down on Pride Rock again. It was that little cub, whose name he always forgot. He nodded with a smile, and went to the shadowed side of the place. She had been right, here lay his brother, hiding in the shade.

"Scar… I've been looking for you." Mufasa said, worried. Scar looked up.

"You… you were looking for me? Why would you do that?" the dark one said with irony.

"Well, Sarabi and I…" the future king began, and Scar jumped up.

"Do not mention her name here! I don't want to hear it!" he roared. Mufasa took a few steps back.

"What is wrong with you? Can't you accept, that she loves me!" Mufasa roared back, and his brother leapt towards him, while he himself ran out into the sunlight.

"I can't accept, that those I care for, tell me lies…" Scar was ready now, he knew he could do it. He could get rid of his brother, if only he didn't stand in the light. He looked so much like a king out there, making Scars mind even darker.

"Something is wrong in your head..." Mufasa said with a low voice, feeling something was indeed very wrong. Something was about to happen, and a moment later Scar was ready for the fight and started it – knocking his brother a few meters away. Mufasa got up, he knew he had to do this too. Make Scar understand, that things couldn't be any other way than it was now.

"Scar! What is happening!" a third one took part now, and Scar gasped. Sarabi had heard them, and they both stopped. "I trusted you!" she cried to him.

"I trusted you too – and see where it's taken me!" he left them both and went to Ahadis cave, to deal with this in a more proper manner; if possible.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

With his head high, Scar entered the chamber. He tried not to show all the emotions, swelling up inside him, making him… mad.

"Scar… what are you doing here?" the king spoke from a dark corner, and came out where he could be seen.

"I want to set things straight… you ruined my life! You always did… and you never stop, do you?" Scar growled, really angry. He felt his heart beat faster.

"What do you mean? I've given you the best life I…" Ahadi said, knowing he didn't tell the truth.

"So the best life for me, was not to feel love? And when I was just about to be loved, you took it away… made sure it happened in the most painful way of all!" he moved closer to his father, hatred glowing in his eyes.

"The next king needs a queen, that is how things are. But you never wanted to understand, did you?" Ahadi spoke with an irritating calm voice.

"I guess I didn't… and now it's too late, I'm leaving – for good!" without even thinking about it, he hit the old king, holding him down. It appeared that Scar was stronger than he looked, he himself was surprised by it.

"Leave then… but spare me!" Ahadi was able to say, with a paw with claws at his throat. Scar nodded with an evil smirk, and let the claws sink into the flesh. He moved the paw, ripping 3 long wounds in the throat. Then he moved away, and left the king alone, bleeding. Scar didn't kill the king… he only made him suffer – probably also knowing, this would lead to death.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

Mufasa saw his brother come out from the cave, and walk down towards the savannah. He ran after him, wanted to make sure everything was fine.

"Scar… please believe me, I never wanted our father to… treat you like he did." Mufasa said, the ever and oh so good prince, Scar thought with a sigh and stopped.

"But he did… and I am leaving this place." He explained, still with his back to Mufasa.

"When he… Ahadi is dead – I'll send someone for you. If you want to, you can live here, when he is gone. Is that a fair trade?" the prince, soon to be the king, said. Scar nodded and turned the head.

"Of course… I will return, when it is requested of me." He began to walk, and when he was long enough away he turned around. "I bow to thee… king Mufasa!" and then he, Scar, the dark brother, disappeared in the high grasses.


	10. What Scar does best

There, I finally had time to finish writing and to upload the next chapter. Thanks for the last reviews, it's interesting to read how you react on the thing Scar did ;) anyway, here is the next one, sorry for the long update time. Please do review... Atrice

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**Part 10 – What Scar does best**

Scar had decided to rest by a waterhole, far away from Pride Rock. He had been walking and running all day, not thinking of anything at all. He had almost fallen asleep, when an annoying cackle reached his ears. Scar watched, as three young hyenas came to the waterhole.

"We'll eat tomorrow then, just relax…" a female said, sounding tired. Scar stayed put to listen.

"But I'm hungry now! Why is _he_ here anyway?" a male said, pointing to the third hyena, who didn't look entirely sane in the head.

"I have to look after him, he's my brother – you know that, Banzai! Now, I'm thirsty." The female waded out in the water, and the two others soon followed to have a drink too. Scar put two and two together; the hyenas had been hunting, and the one with the crazy eyes had made it unsuccessful. He stood up and went down to drink too.

"Hey! Who're you?" the sane male asked, when he saw Scar.

"I'm nobody, don't mind me." was the answer. Scar began to drink.

"But we do… a lion, alone out here? You can't be nobody!" the female spoke.

"Well… I'm Scar… who are you then?" he said and left the water again.

"I'm Shenzi, this is my brother Ed and our friend Banzai. We live here – you don't…" she explained.

"True, I don't live here… but I am looking for a home. Do you mind?" Scar said arrogantly.

"In fact, we do – since it means less food for us!" Banzai said, making the lion smile.

"Well, why are you hungry then? Listen… I can help you hunt – if I may stay." He said and appeared very noble and friendly. The hyenas looked at each other, and Ed laughed. Then they walked a bit away to discuss it. After a short wait, they returned – Shenzi told Scar, that if he would hunt and share, he could stay. They now had an agreement.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

They stayed near the waterhole for the rest of that day, and it became night. The lion ventured out into the dark, to prove to the hyenas that he could bring them something good. He crept down in the high grasses near an antelope, not all certain about this. He hadn't been hunting himself for a long time, that was the lionesses' job. But there weren't any of them here. The sky above Scar was a very dark blue, with small shining stars all over it. A silent wind blew through the grasses, making them whisper wordless songs into the night. Scar sighed and laid down for real, he felt like relaxing on his own. He turned around on the back to look up at the sky.

"If only someone… anyone… would care." He said to himself, sure that nobody heard him.

"I cared…" someone replied to him, and Scar jumped up again. He gasped.

"Sarabi?" he was surprised to see her out here, since she would know by now what he had done to his father. She took a few steps back, like he was contagious.

"I am just a messenger – Mufasa sent me. I shouldn't be speaking to you at all!" Sarabi said, but he could see the hurt in her eyes; and decided not to show her that he knew. This was a new Scar, father- and loveless.

"Aha… but you are speaking to me. How is Mufasa?" Scar asked, a cruel smile on his face.

"He'll be titled king tomorrow – and I'll be his queen. Mufasa wants you to come back, claims he promised that you could come back." She said, trying to sound cold. He took a step closer to her, curious about what she would do. She didn't move for now.

"Yes, he did promise that... What about your father, Aloku?" the male asked, while he noticed that none of them had moved closer to each other. There was a distance, one that would always be there now.

"Don't mention his name – he almost seemed pleased when he heard what happened to Ahadi! Like he knew it would happen…" she said, more to herself than to Scar, who suddenly realised something. Aloku had been planning it all along – it was he, who made Scar take interest in both Sarabi and Sarafina, although he knew that Mufasa would like them too. He had claimed to know how Scar felt…

"So… Aloku left?" he asked.

"He will leave tomorrow, once Mufasa has been titled king… with me as his queen." She spoke the last words with a very low voice, not sure how Scar would take this. But he only nodded, like he accepted the facts present.

"Well, send Mufasa my greetings – I hope he will like his new position. I'll return soon, but not now. Goodbye, Sarabi." He said – she didn't reply, just stared at him, wanted him to say something. Everyone knew what he did to Ahadi, but she wanted him to say it. Scar did what he did best now; he turned his back to the future queen, his back to what would become his family.


	11. the Madness

Here you go, another chapter finished. Thanks for the reviews - and yap, the events we know appear again... please do read and review. Atrice

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**Part 11 – the Madness**

Scar had another bored conversation with Zazu in the cave. He hadn't been out since the day before, when he felt that the only one who cared just a little bit, was Zira. The king was fine with Zira wanting him, since it gave him a chance to get some of the anger out. But that was all she meant to him right now. Scar wandered back and forwards in the cave.

"Zazu… why am I not loved? I am that rare and awesome thing – every inch a king. Yet I feel my pride is doubting me. They whisper my name, but is it talk of love or hate?" he asked, trying to ignore hyenas call for him while they came closer to the cave. At last he couldn't ignore anymore, since they now stood blocking the entrance. "Oh, what is it this time!" Scar asked, quite annoyed, and walked to his bed and throne.

"We've got a bone to pick with you!" Banzai began, but Shenzi put up a paw to silence him.

"Let me handle this… Scar, there's no food, no water…" the female said.

"Yeah, it's dinnertime, and we ain't got no stickin' entries!" Banzai interrupted her as she just interrupted him.

"It's the lionesses job to do the hunting…" Scar said, not feeling up to another conversation about the subject 'food'.

"But they won't go hunt." Banzai continued.

"Oh… eat Zazu then…" Scar said with a humourous smile to the bird, who made up ideas on why they should not eat him. The hyenas began to whisper together, and the king thought he heard them mention his brother. "What did you say!"

"Que pasa?" Banzai suggested.

"Good… now beat it!" Scar chased them out of the cave, then returned with slow steps again. Bored and tired steps.

"Thank you, sire…" Zazu said with irony in the voice, which the king of course ignored.

"Now Zazu, tell me… why do they all speak of Mufasa as the good one, and I'm the bad one? What did my brother have, that I don't have?" he asked the bird in the cage.

"Well, he had adoring subjects… a loving family… a devoted queen… a..." Zazu stopped when Scar suddenly jumped up, with lights lit in his green eyes.

"That's it! I need a queen! Without a queen, what am I? No line, no descendance, no future! With a queen I'll have…" he looked like he had become another lion, more mad than before.

"…cubs… but isn't Zira pregnant?" the blue bird said, and Scar looked at him, wishing the bird to the elephant graveyard like he had often wished before.

"She's not fit to be queen! No, I want someone like… Sarabi for example, she was a lovely queen. Sarafina wasn't bad either, no not at all… someone like…" Scar stopped as a lioness entered the cave, feeling like it was a message from above. "like Nala… your timing couldn't have been more perfect!" he smiled, and walked closer to her, went around her to check her out. "My how you've grown…" he said, but mostly to himself though.

"Scar, you have to do something… we're being forced to overhunt!" Nala had clearly not come because she wanted to speak of weddings and cubs. But he overlooked that.

"She's got those assets feminine… I have to make her mine!"

"You're the king, control the hyenas… they're destroying the Pridelands!" she pledged, but Scar didn't hear it.

"Nobility in every gene, she has to be my queen." He explained, looking at Zazu who tried to hide himself in a corner. This was too much to take, even for him. Scar had clearly gone mad.

"Please, there's still a chance for things to be alright again." Nala jumped in front of Scar, forced him to look at her. Tore him out of this row of thoughts and dreams – or so she thought. He smiled, went up to her side and let his tail curl together with hers.

"You're right, there is still a chance for things to be alright again… come sweet Nala, it's written in the stars – we'll create a host of little Scars!" he said and let her move with him to the cave entrance, where they looked out across the Pridelands.

"What are you talking about? Scar, are you even listening to me?" she tried, and the king turned his head and looked at her.

"Tell me, that you love me… just say it." Scar smiled, and pushed her into the cave again, ready to begin to make that host of little Scars.

"Get away from me!" Nala had grown, and she was strong. Even as a cub, she could win a fight over her best friend, Simba, and she was still stronger than the king too. She pushed him away, scratched him in the face. It looked like he woke up from the madness.

"Oh Nala… you know how I loathe violence! One way or another, you will be mine!" he got to his paws again, followed her as she backed away towards the sunlight outside.

"Never Scar… never!" She growled, then turned quickly around and sprinted away from the cave. Away from this place. Scar ran out of the cave too, out onto the peak of Pride Rock; looked as she jumped down onto the savannah.

"You belong to me, Nala! You all belong to me!" he yelled across the Pridelands, so not a single animal could be uncertain about what had been going on; that the king went mad long ago!


	12. Someone's smiling

There you go, another chapter finished and ready to read! Hope you enjoy it... please R&R! Atrice

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**Part 12 – Someone's smiling**

"So… this is where you tend to hang around?" Scar looked across the elephant graveyard, the dark place he had been heading for. Now it turned out, that it was already inhabited – by hyenas.

"Where else? According to you lions, we're not allowed near Pride Rock!" Banzai said, and Scar smiled – seeing Shenzi role her eyes at the male hyena. She was clearly the leader of this little pack; and Scar once heard, that for hyenas, it actually were the females who ruled.

"All that, Shenzi, will change… stick to me, and things will look brighter." Scar said with a calm voice. He had a plan now, and it would be glorious. It would probably take some time, before he could succeed, but then again – it would be worth it.

"What do you mean, Scar? Why did you leave Pride Rock anyway?" Shenzi asked, a bit suspiciously, but not so much that it really mattered. They were outsiders too, like him. Scar continued to speak to them in a nice and calm manner, and in a way that they had to trust him.

"To find new… friends… I just needed to get away, but I promised to return soon. Friends I seem to have found already." The hyenas didn't know Scar, and how manipulative he could be, if he wanted to. And he didn't let them know, of course.

"So it would seem… a brighter future, you say? Doesn't sound bad." Banzai said and sat down near Scar, who still stood on top of a huge elephant skull, looking over the gloomy and dusty graveyard.

"Yes… brighter indeed. Hyenas will be important – just you wait and see." Scar said with a happy grin, and jumped down on a long tusk, gliding through the mountains of bones at the place. It was just the right place to hide for him, he thought to himself. Yes, for now, hyenas would be important.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

He could be seen from a long distance – especially when someone stood on the peak of Pride Rock, looking over the huge savannah. Someone did stand up here, seeing everything deep down below. A half year had gone by, without any sight ofa black-maned lion, and now he suddenly returned.

"A rogue lion, sire?" a blue bird flew near the kings head, and landed next to him. They both watched the other lion climb the rocks, until he stood in front of king Mufasa.

"No… this, Zazu, is Scar… my brother." Mufasa explained to the bird, who didn't look at all like he trusted the dark lion who just arrived.

"Yes… I have returned, just like you asked me to do. You already look more royal than before." Scar said, sounding nice and noble- but the irony in his voice could not be hidden.

"I doubt you're serious… should I welcome you back? After what you did?" Mufasa asked firmly, holding his head high as only a king could really do it.

"That is up to you… brother. You are the king, you tell me what to do." Scar didn't smile, but looked like he meant it. But it was all part of his plan. He now saw two lionesses appear from the cave behind Mufasa, and they stopped when they saw Scar. Sarafina and Sarabi. Mufasa also noticed the lionesses, and knew he couldn't tell Scar off right now. He knew Sarabi turned away from Scar, because Scar turned away from his family. What would happen if her mate did the same? Mufasa didn't dare to find out.

"I allow you to stay – but you will be watched. Zazu here, have taken the job which Coopah did for our father. He is my lookout and close friend." Mufasa explained, looking down at the bird next to him. Zazu put his wings across one another, to make Scar know Mufasa told the truth. But the dark brother had a hard time believing it.

"A bird… a _bird_ have taken the proud job which belonged to a _cheetah_ before?" Scar had troubles not beginning to laugh, but managed to press it down to a smile.

"Zazu is doing a fine job! Listen, I allowed you to stay… isn't that enough for now?" Mufasa asked his brother, who of course nodded and bowed a little to the king.

"Indeed it is… thank you. I owe you…" Scar turned away, and without looking to the sides or the lionesses curiously watching him, he found his old place on the backside of Pride Rock. He had returned, and with a plan. Now all he could do was wait…


	13. Sarabi's Secret

Hello, dear readers... thanks for the last reviews, I'm glad to see that you still like what I write.I am very sorry for the long time it took for me to update, but life has been very busy. I also wondered what would happen next, so here it is. Hope you like this next chapter, which also turned out to be a long one. Please do review... Atrice

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**Part 13 – Sarabi's Secret**

Sarabi wandered back and forward in the large, royal cave on Pride Rock. She looked nervous, like she was afraid of something. The last lion she wanted to see, when feeling like this, was of course the first one to come around. She stopped her wandering, staring at the one who just entered the cave; his green eyes were bright in the faint light in here.

"Scar… what are you doing here?" she asked, and backed away from him. She didn't want him to see her, not now.

"Oh, I was just curious to see how the queen were… you don't look too well, dear Sarabi." He said and stepped closer to her, and she went to the side to avoid him.

"I am just fine… and don't call me 'dear' – I am less than that to you!" she snapped.

"False… though you may not believe it, you are dear to me. Yes, you betrayed me, but… how shall I put it? I think we're equal now." Scar said with an unusual calm voice.

"I don't trust you… won't you please leave?" Sarabi then tried to beg, but it only made the king's brother more curious.

"Like I said, we're equals now… I don't trust you either. So, what is wrong?" he actually tried to sound like he cared, and somehow he already guessed what was up with the young lioness, whom he once loved. She didn't answer him right away, but looked to the entrance. No sight of any of her sisters, or Mufasa for that matter.

"You're right… I'm not doing fine. I think… that I may be bearing the next king or queen in me…" she said the last with a whisper, like she didn't want to believe it to be real.

"Really? Let me be the first to congratulate you… but… you don't want the cub?" Scar asked, when he saw how nervous she looked.

"Of course I want the cub… no, I'm not discussing this with you. Please leave!" Sarabi changed her mind constantly, which amused Scar quite a lot. And he knew a secret now… how did he use that? He smirked and went towards the sunlight outside again. He was soon gone, leaving the pregnant queen alone in the cave again. It was the truth, what he said. It was her first cub, and that was the reason why she was afraid. What if something went wrong?

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

"Scar? Have you seen Sarabi?" Mufasa caught Scar just below Pride Rock, strolling around with a superior smile on his face.

"Sarabi? Oh yes… she's in the cave. You should go to her, she's not doing well." Scar said, not letting the smile leave him.

"Not doing well? What do you mean?" the king asked, now worried, and looked towards the opening he could see on the rocks.

"To me, she doesn't seem happy. Do you make her happy?" Scar then asked, leaving the smile behind for a more suspicious look.

"What do you mean? Of course I make her happy… more than you would ever be able to!" Mufasa growled, Scar hit a soft spot. The king did all he could to make the queen happy, but it was true, that lately she had been acting strange. Didn't she love him anymore?

"Easy now, brother… go to her, and ask how she's doing." The dark brother knew, that Sarabi wouldn't tell her mate the truth to begin with. Not when she was already afraid of the outcome, she would keep it hidden for awhile. For everyone else but Scar, he thought to himself. Mufasa sent his brother a strange glance, then leapt up the the cave.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

It had become evening the same day… and Scar thought it was about time he tested some important steps. The sun had gone down, and it was now dusk. He climbed Pride Rock, and looked around. Nobody saw him, as he began to walk towards the peak of the rock. The place where news were announced and cubs were given their part in the circle of life. He stood on the very point of the rock, and took a deep breath. It sure felt nice to stand here. What if Scar one day stood here, as the king, and it was his cub that was to be presented?

"Scar!" he was ripped out of the calming thoughts, when he heard the voice of Sarabi far away. He turned around and saw her come towards him.

"My queen…" he said and bowed, but she didn't buy it.

"What have you told Mufasa about me?" Sarabi said, almost with a cry, still coming closer.

"Nothing? Except for that I was worried about you… is that wrong?" Scar answered, sounding hurt by the fact that it could be wrong to be worried. He was so good at acting, he thought.

"It is not… but he thought that… that I was doing something with you! That I didn't love him anymore… you must have said something!" she assumed.

"Not anything like that … he must have made that up himself. Trust me, I would never harm my brother that way." He walked past her, back towards the rock where the cave was. Sarabi stood still a bit, wondering if he was really telling the truth. He once promised her something… that he would never hurt anyone in his family. And yet Scar was the reason that king Ahadi died.

"What if I choose to trust you again?" she called to him.

"Then it's your choice…" Scar was tired now, and just wanted to get inside. He had considered the conversation for ended, but she didn't agree. He turned around and looked at her. Sarabi had tears in her eyes, he could even see it from a distance. She began to run towards him, and Scar found himself smiling of real joy for once. She trusted him again! But everything went too fast, and he wasn't sure he believed his own eyes when it happened.

"Then I choose to…" Sarabi said while running, not noticing she was too close to the edge. She slipped on a loose stone, and fell from Pride Rock down to the ground below; not landing on all four like a cat should do. Scar was stunned and didn't move out of the spot for seconds…


	14. Storm is coming

Phew... I've been very busy with my university-project the last long time. But here I finally got a little time and energy to write the next chapter. Yeah, I know it was a cliffhanger last time - but it seemed right. Hope you like this chapter too, thanks for the last reviews. Please do review this one too :) Atrice

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**Part 14 – Storm is coming**

"Sire? You're awfully quiet today…" the voice of a hornbill broke through Scars thoughts and dreams on a boring afternoon.

"Thinking… kings do that." He just replied with a tired voice and looked out. The sun was shining again – better times had to be coming soon!

"I can figure that… of what do you think?" Zazu asked from his cage of bones.

"Nothing you would ever understand… how long is it since Nala disappeared?" Scar changed the subject and got up. Something was happening, or about to happen, he just knew it.

"A few weeks I think – why?" the bird continued.

"Just wondering if…" could he bear to say it, while someone listened. "Do you think she's doing alright?"

"Nala is a lioness who can stand up for herself – as you found out!" Zazu said, reminding Scar how the lioness ripped his old scar across the eye somewhat open again. Old scars reappearing, needed to heal again. Scar smiled to himself, wondering what would happen soon. He didn't feel like answering the bird just now, and left the cave. Just as he stepped out and saw his own shadow for two seconds, really dark – almost black – clouds entered the sky above him, blocking sun and light away from Pride Rock. It was almost like an warning.

"Sarafina?" Scar went to the little rock, from where he once told the pride about Mufasas and Simbas tragic deaths. Nobody came, the rock was only surrounded by hyenas. "Sarafina!" he shouted, when she didn't appear. But it wasn't Sarafina who finally came; it was Sarabi; "Where is your sister hiding?" he asked her.

"She's not hiding, she just lost everything for you – claims that you made Nala run away. The last time she saw her daughter, was just before we sent her to you." Sarabi said with a cold dignity in her voice.

"I see… well, I'm the king – she should come when I ask her to do so!" Scar growled from his rock.

"You're the king? Ha! Well, why has all herds of animals disappeared after you took this title?" she asked, trying not to smile to herself. This one he had no answer for. He jumped down and walked a bit back and forwards.

"I didn't… take the title, I got it – since I'm the only true heir of Ahadi." He defended the only thing he could in all the things she just said.

"Whom you killed!" Sarabi began to walk away from him again.

"Come back here!" Scar yelled, but she continued to walk through a path in the hyena pack, which was spread around here just below Pride Rock. What was going on… he knew things would be better! Nala was right, there was still a chance for things to be alright. Soon the sun would shine for good, the herds would return and there would be plenty of food. All they needed was a good storm to wipe away all the depressing and gloomy days. And storm was to come soon; but with something quite different than Scar could ever have expected.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

But why did she leave – why did they all hate him? Scar had walked to his old hiding place, behind Pride Rock; a place always in shadow. Here he looked across the savannah with a sigh;knowing why Sarabi didn't like him. But why did they all have to follow what she thought? She never told them the truth either! He didn't remember what he thought, when he saw the lioness he loved fall from Pride Rock, and land with a bump on the ground beneith it. His heart had stopped for a second, and he had just starred at her. Others had come to look at her; especially Mufasa, who soon sent Scar an evil look. Scar had chosen to run away, hiding in the darkest corner in the cave where they all slept moments ago. But he couldn't stay there forever, and when he heard someone come into the cave, he got up again. He saw how they placed Sarabi on the 'throne'; her eyes were closed.

"You're lucky – she didn't die!" Mufasa growled to his brother.

"I'm lucky? I never did anything – it wasn't my fault!" Scar replied, bewildered. But of course, nobody had seen what really happened.

"And you expect me to believe that; after what you did to our father?" the king asked, and turned back to look at his mate. He smiled a worried smile, when she opened her eyes. Scar took a few steps closer again, but lionesses prevented him from getting too close to Sarabi.

"Sarabi… everything is fine. You are alive." Mufasa whispered to her. She nodded.

"I am alive… and you are by my side." She said, as if to point out, that it wasn't Scar standing there, nursing her. He would have followed her across the world, he would have nursed her back to health; but now he never got the chance. And she never dared to trust Scar again; because this time, when she did it, something inside her died.


	15. Heirs?

Thanks for the last reviews - and I'm happy to tell you all, it appears like the fanfic-writers-block is over. Here is another chapter, and I'm already writing the next one. Hope you like how things are going - please do review, if you feel like it. Atrice

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**Part 15 – Heirs?**

To Scars luck, the accident didn't prevent Sarabi from becoming pregnant again. After a good long time, when she wasn't doing well, she finally recovered. Scar tried to get close to her, talk to her about what happened; but she was always around other lionesses or Mufasa – or that strange monkey shaman who had become friends with the pride. And he never dared to ask her to speak alone, for what would the others think? Somehow he thought, that she did it on purpose; stayed near the others, so they could never be alone.

"You got lucky." Mufasa one day startled Scar, who had stopped by the waterhole on his way back from a meeting with the hyenas.

"May I ask why? And please, don't sneak in on me like that again…" Scar continued to drink like he could care less about his brother. He just had a fine and optimistic talk with his hyena friends, and didn't feel like being put down by the king just now.

"Don't threaten me, Scar…" Mufasa growled, annoyed by how his brother acted. Scar finally stopped to drink and walked up to the bank again, looked at Mufasa, ignoring the last sentence.

"So, why am I lucky?" he held his head high with pride.

"Sarabi is pregnant… the fall didn't prevent her from becoming that." The king said, with words telling Scar that Sarabi never told Mufasa about the first pregnancy. That made Scar smile to himself; she was nothing more than a lioness, she didn't even dare to tell her mate that she had been pregnant before.

"I see… well, congratulations – daddy." Scar left Mufasa alone, turned his back to the king to get back to Pride Rock.

"Scar… do not…" Mufasa began with a growl.

"… turn my back to you? But really, even how hard I try not to do it, the day will come when it happens." Scar turned around with a smirk and began to walk backwards to their home; just to let Mufasa know how stupid it really did sound. And Sarabi was pregnant again; he didn't even know if he wanted her to succeed this time. Not with how she acted towards him after the accident – and after all, if she did have a cub, he would be one time further away from the throne.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

Yes, lionesses did become pregnant and gave birth during Mufasas reign. He had several cubs, but only one with his queen, Sarabi. Scar never had a queen, and yet one day – only a few days after Nala left, the lioness who wanted to become queen came to him. She had finally given birth to his first cub – a cub that seemed weak. Now the cub had become a few weeks old, she wanted him to meet his father for real; Scar hadn't paid much attention to the cub, but now it seemed like Zira wanted that to change.

"Zira… what is that?" he stopped and looked at her as she came closer; she had something in her mouth. Scar smiled as he saw what it was, hoping that she wanted him to see the cub because it had become stronger. She let the little furball in her mouth down on the ground, before her paws.

"This, Scar… is your son." Zira smiled too. Scar forgot all about formality and bent down to take a closer look. The cub woke up from the sleep it had been in, and looked quite frightened when it discovered the scarred face of a grown male lion starring at it. The little one quickly crawled behind his mothers paws to hide.

"There there… don't be afraid of him. He's your father, dear…" Zira said to the cub, and looked up at Scar, who took a step backwards.

"He's a scared little one… and… isn't he very small?" Scar asked as he tried to get a closer look at the cub hiding from him.

"He will get stronger, I promise – he's your heir, remember?" The lioness didn't look very pleased with how Scar looked at the cub. And he wasn't really pleased when it came to that. Of course, it was nice to see a cub that was his; the first male born during his reign, the first who was not Simbas or Mufasas. Clearly another sign of good times ahead – but a weak, little and scared cub? Such a son could never become king, Scar knew that much. It would never be strong enough; just like himself, it would have to fight for the throne. And he didn't want anyone else to get the life he had. No, Scar decided as he went back to his cave. Ziras firstborn son would never be king.


	16. Long live king Scar

Wow, thanks for the many reviews! I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much, I hope I keep up the good work in this one... it was a bit tough to write the last part, but that's how it is. Hope you like it - please review. Atrice

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**Part 16 – Long live king Scar**

The king wondered for how long Nala could stay away; more than one month had gone by now… and no sign of anything. More sunshine had come, but also strange weather with dark clouds but never any rain. The land became more and more miserable and dry to look at, it wasn't good at all. A cub had been born, but for what? Zira had named him Nuka… what a strange name, he thought at first – but it fitted the cub, who would never become anything anyway. Just like Scar had once been Taka, meaning dirt; his son was Nuka, meaning bad smell. It was all the same, he thought as he stood on Pride Rock, thinking about everything.

"Excuse me… Scar?" someone said behind him. Scar turned around, and smiled to Teira – daughter of Teki, who had been one of Ahadis mates. She was a bit younger than himself, but very beautiful none the less. And she was one of those, who didn't seem to hate him; she accepted things that happened as part of life, meaning that she accepted him as the king. She was friends with Zira, and Scar also had the pleasure of getting to know Teira even better.

"Teira… it's been awhile." He said and stepped down closer to her.

"Yes… well… life hasn't been easy, but things do brighten up. You better come and see for yourself…" Teira nodded in direction of the land beneith them, and he followed; wondering what this was all about. She took him to a cave below the great rock on which he stood just before. She disappeared in the darkness of the cave, but soon came to the entrance again. Scar almost had a dejavu; another cub? But Teira hadn't been pregnant – had she? He figured he had been paying too little attention to this lioness the last long while.

"Is… it yours?" Scar asked with a somewhat stunned look on his face.

"Yes – I thought you'd like to see him." She said and had the cub sitting up. He was younger than Ziras cub had been when Scar first saw him. Not even a week old, but it was pretty – the cub starred at Scar with big… green eyes!

"Thank you, he's a fine little one…" Scar noticed that although the cub was very young, it was thick with milk from its mother, and awake. It was stronger than Nuka, who would for sure die if left alone without his mother for even a short while.

"What do we call him?" Teira asked and began to lick the cub clean. Scar thought a bit about this, then smiled to himself.

"Kovu… his name shall be Kovu, and he is my official heir." He finally felt things really went the right way. Except for the lands looking miserable, and the other cub being weak… Kovu would be a fine king one day, he knew that much. Immortality was his!

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

As Kovu now became Scars heir, Simba had been Mufasas heir. Scar left Teira in the cave, but promised to return every day to look at the cub. The next week he would ask her to show the cub to the rest of the pride; Zira probably already knew about it, since the two lionesses talked a lot. Scar hadn't been the first to know about Simba. Mufasa had been present, when Sarabi gave birth to the cub. Strangely enough, Sarafina also had a cub the same day – Nala. Scar had looked at Simba with hatred from the first day. That little hairball would one day become king, and Scar would never reach that far; at least if something wasn't done about it. After Simba was born, Scar began to think about a plan how to get rid of him in a way so he wouldn't be blamed. He couldn't have the whole mess which happened with Ahadi again.

And the plan he thought up worked. Scar saw his brother Mufasa die in the stampede, while the hyenas watched their king do his work. Sadly enough – from Scars point of view – Simba survived, and Scar saw him try to wake up Mufasa.

"So… you want the cub dead too?" Banzai said with a hungry look in his eyes, as they all stood on the grass, looking down into the valley where Simba was. For the first time, Scar had no idea what to do. He just murdered his own brother, and father to this cub. He did want the cub dead too, but still… kill such a young lion? It was worse than anything Scar ever did before.

"I don't want him alive… let me talk to him – and come down when I'm finished." The self-asserted king had said to his hyena friends.

"Whatever you say… your majesty Scar…" the female Shenzi said, as she knelt down to show that she meant it. It made Scar smile, and he left them to talk to Simba. He took a deep breath, seeing the young cub, who never thought his uncle could do anything bad, nestle against Mufasa beneith the huge paw.

"Simba… what have you done?" Scar said with a profound undertone. He didn't want to be blamed. The cub saw him and jumped up.

"There were wildebeests and he… tried to save me... it was an accident, I... I didn't mean for it to happen." Simba had begun to cry, and Scar embraced the cub, as an uncle would do.

"Of course, of course you didn't. No one ever means for these things to happen. But the king is dead. And if it weren't for you he'd still be alive." Scar looked down on Simba, when he thought of something more, and said to Simba with a gasp: "What will your mother think?"

"What am I going to do?" Simba sniffed as he looked up at his uncle, looking very crushed indeed.

"Run, Simba… run away, and never return." Scar whispered. The cub looked like he accepted it, he actually believed that he was the reason Mufasa died. Simba disappeared in the clouds of dust, that were still present after the stampede. Scar heard Shenzi, Banzai and Ed appear behind him; "Kill him…" and happily the hyenas chased Simba down the valley, until Scar could see them no longer. He then prepared to go back to Pride Rock, and tell them all how Mufasa and Simba died – so that the shining new era he planned, could come. Long live… me, he thought as he walked back.


	17. Return of the Dead

I've said it tons of times before... sorry for the long update time! I actually wrote this awhile ago, I just never got the chance to upload it. Next part is coming soon too. I hope you like this one, we're closing in on the end and the events we all know. Please do read and review. Atrice

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**Part 17 – Return of the dead**

Less than a week later, really dark clouds assembled just above Pride Rock. Tomorrow, Scar thought… tomorrow I will introduce them all to Kovu, and everything will be alright again. But the day isn't over until the sun has set; and today, there was no sun to see. It was a dark and gloomy day, it didn't fit Scars mood at all. He was just on his way to the hidden cave, to visit Teira and the cub, when the hyena Banzai had sneaked up on him.

"Hey, king Scar!" he said.

"What is it now? Can I never…" Scar tried, but knew what this was about.

"We're hungry, all of us… really hungry! It won't be long before we kill a lioness!" Banzai explained, while the king wondered where the faithful hyena friends were. Banzai was alone.

"You do not harm them!" Scar growled while the hyena backed a bit away.

"Then you should do something about it – you're the king, right?" the hyena was terrifyingly brave today, was it because Shenzi wasn't near to lead the word? Banzai could stand alone, Scar thought with a smile to himself; maybe he should get a better post?

"I am indeed the king – I shall talk to them." Scar sent a regretful look towards the cave he had been heading to, then went back to the place where he usually spoke to his pride and pack. Scar stood here a few of years ago – telling them all how Mufasa and Simba died… he called for Sarabi, who today seemed more cold and distant than ever before. Was she still mad about Nalas disappearance? He didn't care much now, he just wanted to get this over and done with, but she was annoying today. And when she spoke those words, she said the name he preferred to be forgotten…

"If you were half the king Mufasa was…" she began, when Scar jumped towards her. A paw with stretched claws slapped her face, made her fall a few feet away.

"I am TEN times the king Mufasa was!" Scar roared, so everybody could hear it. Sarabi had never cared about him, although he had been the first to really welcome her. But his perfect brother had made her fall for him, and their father didn't stop it. Scar wished things had gone differently, so he wouldn't have to act this way now. But they didn't – everything that could go wrong for him, had gone wrong. Only now things seemed to brighten up; perhaps he should present Kovu today? But that thought only had time to just linger in the back of Scars head, because when Sarabi landed, the past caught up with king Scar.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

He was frightened when he saw a huge lion with a sparkling red mane stand in a lightning, growling at the king with an anger he hadn't seen in ages. At first he thought it was a ghost…

"Mufasa?" Scar whispered to himself; "No, you're dead!" for a second he thought he was loosing his mind, when the lion then ran down to Sarabi and made sure she was okay – after the slap the king gave her. They spoke together with a low voices, while Scar looked more closely at the lion. It wasn't his dead brother… it was another one, who shouldn't live… "Simba?" he said to himself, then pulled his conceit back. "Simba! I'm surprised to see you… alive…" he remembered who he sent out to kill the cub. Something that didn't happen – his old hyena friends quickly made sure they weren't seen again. Simba then looked up at his uncle.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart!" the adult Simba continued to growl at Scar, who slowly backed away again.

"But Simba, you must understand… the pressure of ruling a kingdom…" Scar tried to explain.

"…are no longer yours. Step down, Scar." Simba seemed so determined, so… no, he shouldn't have the pleasure of making Scar step down!

"Oh, yes - Well, I would, naturally - however, there is one little problem. You see _them?_" with a smile Scar pointed to the hyenas, who were everywhere on the rocks above him. "They think I'm king!" he then saw the missing lioness Nala appear, together with the other lionesses.

"Well, we don't! Simba is the rightful king!" she said – Scar wanted to say something to her, but they didn't let him speak.

"The choice is yours, Scar - either step down or fight…" Simba explained to his uncle, the king. Finally Scar remembered what he told Simba after the stampede… something he could use now!

"Oh, must it all end in violence I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Simba?" Scar smiled within himself. What a great idea!

"That's not gonna work, Scar; I've put it behind me." Simba tried, but it was clear that Scar finally hit a tense spot.

"But what about your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind them?" he looked at the lionesses. Nala also looked curious, and worried.

"Simba, what is he talking about?" she asked on behalf of all the lionesses present. So he hadn't even told Nala it – for it was clearly that very lioness, who had brought Simba back from the dead!

"Well, Simba, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Mufasa's death!" Scar was back where he belonged; being the one with the good facts in his mind! And his words sure did their thing, for all the lionesses now starred at Simba; stunned. Simba looked nervous now, but Scar had to admit to himself; he was brave, the young lion.

"I am…" Simba said as he stepped forward, looking at them all; admitting his socalled crime.


	18. Dreams that never worked

Glad you liked what I did in the last chapter. Here is one more, isn't that a nice quick update? I hope you like it - next chapter (which is the last)is coming soon too. Please read and review - Atrice

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**Part 18 – Dreams that never worked**

What then happened, happened far too quickly for Scar to even consider the actions he made. He did his best, fighting, trying to get rid of Simba once again. It didn't work. Simba had clearly gone mad with anger, there was no way to change it.

"Run… run away, Scar - and never return…" Simba whispered on the very top of Pride Rock, where the two lions had chased each other to. Scar never noticed the hyenas following him, not even when he tried to convince Simba that the hyenas were the real enemy. He was too busy trying to save himself; in Scars world, he learned one thing – and that was, that the only one ever really caring for him, was himself. Nobody else would stand up for him, and now he just wanted to survive.And soSimba tried to pull a Scar trick upon the lion himself?

"Yes, of course… as you wish…" the king slowly moved around Simba, when he noticed a bunch of glowing sparks laying nearby… "… your majesty!" he threw the sparks onto Simbas head and eyes, blinding the young lion for a short while. This was his last chance! Scar jumped at Simba, the fire razing around them, but they didn't notice. They fought, for the first time Scar actually really fought, and for his life this time! He had to be the king, he was the king, he had to win… but his old words were true. Those he spoke to Mufasa once, when Simba was nothing more buta newborn cub. Scar was overlooked when it came to handing out the brute strength to lions. But his chance seemed to come, when Simba was knocked over. Now he should just jump and bite. Simba was too quick and threw Scar over himself, he fell down Pride Rock and landed deep down below in a little shelter from the fire.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

He got up, slowly. Hurt, but definetly not dead! Amazingly, the first thing Scar thought about wasn't himself; he thought about Teira and Kovu – they weren't long away, there was a chance of getting them to safety! But hyenas turned up nearby.

"Ah, my friends." Scar spoke with a trembling voice, he hadn't exactly gotten over the fall just yet. Shenzi looked at him with angry eyes. Did everyone hate him today?

"Friends? I thought he said we were the enemy!" she said, and the other hyenas seemed to agree with her. He saw the hyenas come closer, ready for what looked like revenge. But for what, Scar thought? Hadn't he given them better status, hadn't they gotten more food than ever before? And now they wanted to… attack him. He tried to talk his way out of it, but it was no use. The hyenas did to Scar, what Simba never had the courage to do. Soon, very soon, all the memories of the past ran through Scars mind – memories of a long lost youth and dreams that never really worked in the end.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

Banzai – who only almost realized that he could be more than a deputy to Shenzi - tried not to look behind, as they all moved away. What was left, soon to be eaten by the fire, was the body of a lion with visions. The lion would become ash and grass, and animals would eat that grass – and predators would eat the grass. Banzai had a feeling, that things could have been different. But they had to leave now. The knew king wouldn't accept hyenas in the Pridelands – he was not like Scar. So they better run now, and survive, than stay and maybe die. Hyenas were once again dangling in the food chain, as they were supposed to do. That was their place in the great circle of life, which the late king had tried to change. It seemed that some things were not meant to be changed – the circle of life should not be broken.


	19. Scars last Followers

There you go, very last chapter of this story! I hope you enjoyed it all, and also like this last little chapter. Many thanks to all my readers and those who have given reviews, they're nice to read. I'll probably return soon with another fanfic, maybe TLK, since I already have ideas. I love to write Scar, but I have a feeling I should try something new though... we'll see. Please review this last chapter too, tell me how you liked it :) Atrice

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**Part 19 – Scars last Followers**

"Teira! Kovu?" the lioness Zira ran around Pride Rock, she had seen the hyenas attack Scar. She knew they were more brutal than Simba, they wouldn't have any mercy. Now all she could do was to save those she cared about. Nuka was safe, but what about the new heir?

"Mom…" she heard someone cry beneith the Pride Rock peak, which Simba was about to climb in the rain. But she didn't care. Her king was dead, and she had to make sure the heir lived.

"Kovu? Are you here?" Zira called, she couldn't see him anywhere. There was a cave… it wasn't very big. Teira had only shown Kovu to Zira outside the cave, which was easily missed down in the shadows here. She looked inside, and saw him sitting near a wall. Where was Teira? "There there, don't cry… I'm sure she'll come." She pulled the cub close to her, and he seemed to dry his tears. Such a small cub, of course he was confused and scared with all the fire and fighting he had heard!

"Mom?" the cub tried, and looked at Zira – but didn't see his mom. He wasn't even a weak old, could probably not speak many other words than that. Zira waited… the rain stopped, the sun began to shine, but she hid in the cave with Kovu. The next morning his mother hadn't returned yet, and Zira understood that she hadn't survived the events. She had to present Kovu to Simba, now he was the king. Knowing that the new king would probably kill the cub because it wasn't his, she took him with her in her mouth, and carried him to the rest of the pride and the new king – the proper one to some, but not to everyone.

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

"No… Simba!" Nala shouted, when she saw the look in Simbas eyes. He was the king now, and more than that; a lion who had to protect his pride and get his own offspring. Now definetly not pleased with Zira and the cub named Kovu. Everyone had been surprised when they saw the lioness appear with the cub, since he hadn't been presented to the pride before.

"Nala, don't interfere… this is between me and… Zira, right?" Simba said and the lioness nodded.

"You have no right to kill him, he's the rightful heir – chosen by Scar!" Zira defended Kovu, who tried to hide somewhere behind her legs.

"Exactly… and that is why he is not welcome – same as you." Simba lowered his head with an angry growl, and Nala ran forwards, she couldn't have her mate kill such a small cub; even if it was part of the circle of life. Sarabi and Sarafina kept themselves in the background; the lioness with the cub had once been their sister, but none of them would ever adress her with that title again. Zira seemed to have the right words ready for Simba, fighting for her cause.

"You're more cruel than Scar… heartless! Is this who you want to be your king!" Zira called to the pride, who were all watching the fight between the new king and the old almost-queen. They all looked down, feeling just a little guilt by this. "His mother died, because of you – and now you want this parentless cub to die too?" she took the cub in her mouth again and began to leave the scene. Simba didn't seem to want to change his mind, but knew he couldn't kill her and the cub now. Not after what she just said; he didn't want to appear heartless to the pride that was now his.

"Zira… do you really still support Scar?" he asked her, and she turned around.

"Why shouldn't I? He was more king than you will ever be." She explained, trying to keep her voice calm and noble.

"Then there is no other way; you, your cubs… and every other lion or lioness here who still support Scar, are exiled! I'll let you live, but if I ever see any of you near Pride Rock again – then I may be heartless as you call me, Zira. But that is the way things must be, now." Simba explained with royality in his voice. She nodded, understanding that he let her live, but not because he wanted to. Weak in the end, was Mufasas only son, she thought.

And so Zira, Nuka, Kovu and other rogues left Pride Rock in the rain, to find another place to survive and one day revenge who had been, at least to them, the rightful king.

**THE END!**

**-Finished the28/6 2006, by Atrice -**


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